‘tis still the season.
Advent is always a beautiful opportunity for growth. As we eagerly await the coming of our Savior, it’s an opportunity to prepare our hearts intentionally. With only four weeks, we can choose ways we plan to ready our hearts. We may buy a new devotional, commit to readings, attend a certain number of holy hours, pray a novena… the possibilities are endless. The fullness of our faith is vast… there are a million ways we can deepen our knowledge, share in our findings, enlighten our minds to new perspective. As we learn, as we plant our mustard seed... it opens up mounds of new knowledge to discover. The mustard seed is what Advent is all about.
When the four weeks draw to a close and we come to the Feast of Christmas on that blessed December 25th day… much rejoicing is to be had. So much preparation has led up to this day, both in our hearts and with our hands as we create celebration fit for our King. But, what happens on December 26th? We no longer have the obligation of our commitments, our devotionals have reached the last page, the meals have been celebrated, the presents all opened… time to put the decorations away? time to clean up the trails of paper and get back to ‘normal’?
The journey through these last four weeks did not build up anticipation in your heart, only to come to a halt. These four weeks were building your momentum, friends. You were planting your mustard seed. Jesus has come into your heart; He has come into the world on Christmas day, and we are still celebrating His precious life, His Holy family, His wondrous infant days all the way until His baptism… we shall celebrate!
May you be inspired by your Advent preparations into the New Year. May you be eager to grow the seed that you planted the very first week. You asked Him to come into your heart… you asked Him to shine a light… to make a change within you… and He came. Invite Him to stay. Ask Jesus to continue to mold your heart. May you continue to chase after Him, grow with Him, and lean into His personal love for you.
One Advent devotion I committed to was reading the Gospel according to Luke. I planted this seed of the Word and found a desire that I didn’t even know I was craving. Each day reading the story of our Savior, I fell deeper and I became increasingly aware of His personal love for me. He opened my eyes parable after parable. As I shared my insight and application in this world, He led me to others… and through others He showed me new perspective. Reading His Word wasn’t just a task to check off my Advent ‘to-do’ list… it was prayer, it was a time for me to come to my Father’s table, it was a time for my heart to break open and be renewed in His love… it was a mustard seed I planted… and now, four weeks later, I am eager to know Him more.
“Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”” Luke 13:18-19
He came. He is here. Let’s continue to celebrate. Let this be the beginning. Let’s let Him nourish our mustard seed with His merciful water, His mighty light, and let’s ask Him to enrich our soil so we may be granted relationship with Him that is bountiful.
Starting January 1st, Father Mike Schmitz is beginning a podcast to journey through the Bible in one year. He is outlining his study with Jeff Cavins’ Great Adventure Bible Timeline. Each podcast will only be about 20-25 minutes… you can listen anywhere, anytime. If you want to join me, you can subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts. I would love to discuss with anyone who wants to as the weeks go by and we delve deeper into our love story.
Merry Christmas season. Keep celebrating. Keep rejoicing. Keep inviting Him into your molded heart.
